Where the Cherry Blossoms Bloom
by yorumiko
Summary: As he was disappearing, the faint scent of the cherry blossoms saved him.
1. The Cherry Blossoms are Blooming

Disclaimer: I do not own Vampire Knight or any of its characters.

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**Author's notes:** I couldn't forget that chapter where Ichiru stayed with Shizuka until her final moments. That chapter was very emotional. So many questions were finally answered. Shizuka's and Ichiru's relationship has intrigued me so much that I decided to make a short story about them. I hope you will like it.

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I stared blankly at the dull, gray sky. How I loathed the day. There was simply nothing that could satisfy my need for peace. Was there even one at the very beginning?

There really was nothing for me. I was empty. I was a broken doll. What was I living for?

I couldn't stand it. To be always the shadow did not make me as happy as I thought I would be. In fact, it was the opposite. To tell such lies about us being one made my stomach churn. One? I laughed. Were we even one at the very beginning? I laughed hard at the idea. I listened to my laughter and I began to weep. My amusing laugh turned into a disturbing cry for self pity.

My sobbing gave me a creeping feeling. No... not a creeping feeling. It felt more like I was fading. Yes! I was fading. My existence was a hindrance. I felt the earth shake as I realized how pathetic I really was. I was disappearing.

I cried my rage out. I cried my frustration out. I poured everything out. But it was simply not enough. Nothing was going to change. I was still a shadow. I was still a nobody.

The scent of the cherry blossoms was hypnotizing. It eased me a little. I gazed at the cherry blossoms as they fluttered away with the soft breeze. My tears wouldn't stop. I watched as two petals danced around before landing on the soft ground.

"Little boy, why are you crying?"

I trembled. She was sitting on a branch of the cherry blossom tree. I saw her eyes that said nothing for they were empty. For some reason, I was not afraid of her. I actually felt a connection with her. I stared at her eyes. "You. Why are you crying?" I returned her question. I knew, just by looking at her, that she was a "beast". I was taught that these "beasts" only wear human's skin just to conceal their true ugliness. But then, looking through those sad eyes made me think otherwise.

Her eyes flickered for a moment. She automatically knew that I was not afraid of her. She jumped off the branch and, like a cat, she landed as if gravity had no effect on her. The wind blew again making the cherry blossoms dance and bow down.

She stared at me for a while and I did the same to her. We didn't move a muscle. There was just something about this silence we had. It was if the world came to a full stop just for us to have that moment of stillness.

The short time of stillness finally ended. She turned to her left and walked away. Just as she moved, I smelled the scent of cherry blossoms. I looked back at the tree and tried to get a hold of its scent. The cherry blossoms, I realized, had no scent at all. I quickly directed my gaze at that mysterious woman. My eyes widened. She stood there and smiled quietly. She held out a hand and I quickly followed her.

As I was nearing her I could smell that sweet scent of the cherry blossoms. That tantalizing scent mesmerized me. I took hold of her hand, never wanting to let it go. It didn't cross my mind on how warm she actually was or how fragile she could be. I gazed up at her.

"What's your name?" she asked as she caressed my cheek with her warm hand.

She hypnotized me with her scent. She instantly knew that I was finally intoxicated with her aroma. I stood there treasuring the moment. "Ichiru." I answered.

Her smile widened a couple of centimeters up. She gathered me in her arms. I felt weak. For some reason, my eyes began to feel heavy. It wasn't unusual though. I just felt so warm and secure in her arms. It was as if I finally found my true self in her. I let my body absorb her delicate heat. I found tranquility for the very first time.

**END of Chapter One**

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I hope you have enjoyed this chapter as much as I do. And please do excuse me of my vocabulary. I'm still trying to learn more words for I am still young (I'm sixteen if you're asking how old I really am).


	2. Budding Sentiments

**Disclaimer: I do not own Vampire Knight or any of its characters**

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**author's notes:** I don't think that this chapter is that interesting. I've been resting for quite a while now so my writing isn't that good right now. still i hope you will like this chapter

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**Budding Sentiments**

"Please don't hate me... Ichiru." I read from her sad eyes. I watched as she sank her teeth deep inside Zero's neck. My stomach began to churn not from disgust but from a feeling I could not understand. My hands began to shake as I tried to comprehend whatever this feeling might be.

"I-Ichi-ru..." my brother stuttered. He reached out a hand warning me to get away. "Go! Run, Ichiru!"

I could not take my eyes off Zero. My churning stomach gave me a feeling which made me lose my sympathy for Zero. The truth of this feeling was still cloudy. "Zero... " I mumbled.

"Get away from her, Ichiru! She's a vampire!" he desperately said. My twin pathetically crawled to me. But I did not want his sympathy. I looked at Lady Shizuka as she smiled blissfully, a sign that she was contented with Zero's blood. I looked back at Zero and glared at him. My stomach churned for the worst. I did not feel like heaving, but it seemed I wanted to pour something out.

Lady Shizuka was silent for just a moment. She gazed at Zero's hateful eyes. "Don't ever forget about me, Zero." she giggled. "You and I... we are the same. You and I now have... a very special bond." she crowed and a melody began to play in my head. I clenched my fists. Her last sentence made me want to hate Zero even more. She turned around and walked pass me. "Let's go, Ichiru." she softly said. I turned around and took my first step.

"No! Don't, Ichiru!" My brother begged once more. I blocked my ears and ran to Lady Shizuka.

I walked slowly behind her and watched Lady Shizuka's back very carefully. Lady Shizuka glanced over her shoulder and smiled at me. "What are you doing there?" She stopped and reached for my hand. "Come. Walk beside me, Ichiru." I felt her cold hand around my small hand. She reached for my cheek and gave me an expression I saw when she drank Zero's blood. "You are very warm." she crowed. I turned my gaze somewhere else for her expression pained me.

We walked side-by-side, feeling each others' presence. But the feeling that I developed bothered me. I wondered what it really was. "Lady Shizuka," I remembered her blissful smile, "why won't you... drink my blood?" I felt myself fluster for asking her such a ludicrous question.

"Ichiru..." she whispered. "All we have now is each other." I could not understand her.

She walked quietly and hastily. I did not try to walk beside her again. Lady Shizuka answered my question with a riddle, but that riddle did not appease me. The feeling from my stomach continued to grow. I watched her back again. She suddenly stopped and gazed at me with a very pained face. I watched her with great amazement. "Is something wrong?" my voice trembled.

Her pained expression haunted me. "Please don't..." she paused for a brief moment before continuing. "Please don't make that sad face... Ichiru." She reached for my crown and patted me softly. "Zero has nothing that I would want." her riddles puzzled me again. She turned around again and continued with her walk.

My stomach began to ease as I let her words ring in my head. "Zero has nothing that I would want." over and over again it played. I caught my own breath and shook my head. I looked up and saw Lady Shizuka smile an illuminating smile. There was warmth radiating from that smile. I could not help myself, but smile at her as a reply. I ran back beside her and absorbed that smile of hers. I did not hesitate to think about what I was really feeling. It did not bother me to know that I actually felt it. That feeling made me feel more human.

"Ichiru, back then," Lady Shizuka trailed off again before continuing. "I know what you felt earlier." she smiled merrily. "It's what you call... jealousy."

It really did not bother me. I was reluctant. I calmly smiled and said, "Oh! Jealousy is an interesting... emotion."

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**End of Chapter Two**


	3. Final Chapter: Falling Petals

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Vampire Knight or any of its characters

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**Falling Petals**

Little by little, I uncovered the pieces of my very existence, but death finally caught up on Lady Shizuka and the cherry blossoms... did not bloom. I watched limply as Lady Shizuka rested in my arms. Her cold hands became colder. Fear and despair flooded my heart.

She smiled bravely and touched my cheek. "That expression does not suit you." she mumbled. I could not hold myself, but cry in front of her. She gripped my hands and gazed at me. "Do you love me?" she asked.

I could not say a word. We stared at each other. I could see the sadness from her eyes melting with that question. She reluctantly grinned and weakly said, "You have grown up, Ichiru. Humans do grow quite fast."

My mind rattled. "Please! Don't go just yet, Lady Shizuka!" I cried. I was determined to find that scent again.

"Ichiru... do you love me?" she knew the answer, but she denied it for a very long time. I tightened my grip on her hand and did not say anything. I just stared at her empty eyes. I knew she was going to fade away. "You would always ask me why I won't take your blood." she closed her eyes. "Do you still want to know?"

"Lady Shizuka, I-" she pressed her fingers against my lips.

I felt her fingers slipping away from mine. "Ichiru, please stay by my side." she begged. I watched her breathe uneasily. We stared at each other just like the first time we met. Finally, she slowly closed her eyes and smiled. "I always knew Ichiru, but I wanted to hear it from you." those were her last words. My eyes grew wide as Lady Shizuka turned into dust, but a familiar faint scent played with my senses.

My heart cried. Lady Shizuka had always been alone, but for that briefest moment, I saw her glow with warmth and love. Her question rung in my head: "Do you love me?" I did not have the courage to tell her, but I knew that she could see it in my eyes.

The smell of cherry blossoms intoxicated me as I let my tears melt my heart. "Lady Shizuka..." I repeated over and over again. She may not know it, but the sun's glow had always been in her eyes. I let the overpowering scent control me once more. I let myself inhale the sweet fragrance. "Do you love me?" her question played again. I was too late to say it now. Lady Shizuka always wanted to feel that she was loved.

I clenched my fists and screamed. Once upon a dream, she told me that we will watch the cherry blossoms bloom together. But the truth was, I saw a cherry blossom bloom right before my eyes. She was the most beautiful cherry blossom I had ever seen. I opened my mouth and whispered my reply with the wind. "Lady Shizuka... you know the answer to your own question." She always knew. She could strip me bare with a simple gaze of hers.

In the end, my reply was too late. Lady Shizuka and I couldn't stay beside each other.

**End of Where the Cherry Blossoms Bloom**

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well, that's all for this story. it's really short... but i will be writing another one in Shizuka's POV


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